Chess players like Hikaru Nakamura often lay the blame on their seconds when things go wrong, but is it fair to do so? Seconds are the largely invisible workforce behind the scenes, spending hours scouring through engines, studying openings, and handling the grunt work of preparation.
Nakamura's recent loss to Javokhir Sindarov at the Candidates tournament in Cyprus was a case in point. He laid the blame squarely on his team of seconds, saying it was '100 per cent on the people working for me.'
However, world No.1 Magnus Carlsen's second, Peter Heine Nielsen, believes that players should take responsibility for their own preparation and decisions. 'The player is trusted to make the best decisions for himself at the board,' he said.
Nielsen's views are echoed by other chess players and experts, who point out that the role of seconds has evolved with the advent of powerful engines and accessible resources. 'It's not tougher today, but rather more about implementing your choices well and ensuring the player is into the details,' Nielsen said.
